Time Machine

Does Time Machine back up with the MacBook lid closed?

No: Time Machine skips backups while a Mac sleeps, and a closed MacBook sleeps. Keep Mac Awake keeps it awake with the lid closed so a backup can run.

By , who makes Keep Mac Awake. . 6 min read. Markdown

Short answer: Not while the MacBook sleeps, and closing the lid puts it to sleep: Apple's macOS 26 guide says that if your Mac "is in sleep mode or your backup disk isn't available when it's time for a scheduled backup, the backup isn't performed", and backups resume when it wakes. Power Nap can run Time Machine backups on power during sleep on Macs that support it, but Apple does not promise that a backup finishes after you close the lid. To have a backup run or finish with the lid closed, keep the Mac awake; the first choice is a Keep Mac Awake session, which keeps a MacBook awake with the lid closed and no display for the hours you pick, then restores normal sleep.

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Does Time Machine back up while a Mac is asleep?

No, a scheduled backup does not run while the Mac sleeps. Apple's guide for macOS Tahoe 26: "If your Mac is in sleep mode or your backup disk isn't available when it's time for a scheduled backup, the backup isn't performed. Backups resume after the Mac and disk are available again" (Apple Support).

When Time Machine is on, "it automatically backs up your Mac and performs hourly, daily, and weekly backups of your files" (Apple Support). Those hourly backups happen only in the hours the Mac is awake. On a MacBook, the lid decides that: Apple lists "On a Mac laptop, close the display" as a way to put a Mac to sleep (Apple Support).

What happens if I close the lid during a backup?

The Mac goes to sleep and the backup stops with it. Apple does not document the lid case on its own; for interrupted backups it says "When the problem is corrected, Time Machine resumes", and that a backup may not finish "if you accidentally disconnect your backup disk during a backup, or if there's a network problem" (Apple Support). So a backup cut off by the lid normally carries on later, after the Mac wakes, not while it is closed.

Doesn't Power Nap back up with the lid closed?

Sometimes, and not on every Mac. Apple's macOS 26 guide says that on a power adapter, "Power Nap can also do activities such as downloading software updates and performing Time Machine backups", with the condition "If your Mac supports it" (Apple Support). Apple gives no schedule for those backups and does not say a backup in progress continues after the lid closes. As of October 2026, Apple's guide for macOS 27 no longer lists Enable Power Nap among the Battery options (macOS 27 Battery settings). More in what Power Nap and Wake for network access do.

If you need the backup to happen, do not plan on Power Nap. Keep the Mac awake.

How do I let a Time Machine backup finish with the lid closed?

Keep the MacBook awake for the length of the backup, then close it. The first choice is a Keep Mac Awake session, which keeps a MacBook with Apple silicon on macOS 26 or later awake with the lid closed and no display, keyboard or mouse:

  1. Plug the Mac into power and connect the backup disk (or check that the network disk is reachable).
  2. Start a session from the Keep Mac Awake menu bar app, or in Terminal: keepmacawake start --hours 4.
  3. Start the backup: click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and choose Back Up Now (Apple Support), or run tmutil startbackup.
  4. Close the lid. The session ends on time and normal sleep returns.
keepmacawake start --hours 4   # awake with the lid closed for 4 hours
tmutil startbackup             # "Begin a backup if one is not already running."

The disk has to stay available the whole time. A USB or Thunderbolt disk must stay plugged in; a network disk needs the network, and Keep Mac Awake does not keep Wi-Fi or any other connection alive. It also does not wake a Mac that is already asleep, so start the session before you close the lid.

Does Time Machine back up on battery?

Only if you allow it. In System Settings > General > Time Machine > Options, Apple's macOS 26 guide lists "Back up on battery power: Turn on to create backups every hour even if your Mac is on battery power", shown on a Mac laptop with an automatic schedule (Apple Support).

Keep Mac Awake runs on AC power by default; if you unplug, the session waits until power is back. Battery use is optional, down to a floor you pick, and on battery a session also ends at a serious thermal state (on battery). For a long backup, stay on power.

How do I make the first backup run overnight?

Apple suggests it: "You may want to set up Time Machine in the evening so that the initial backup can be done overnight" (Apple Support). With the lid open, the Mac must still not sleep after inactivity; with the lid closed, start a Keep Mac Awake session for the night, such as keepmacawake start --hours 10, then set up the disk and close the lid. Sessions of up to 8 hours are free during the 3-day trial.

Careful: A closed MacBook that stays awake still makes heat. Apple says to use a Mac laptop "on a stable work surface that allows for good ventilation" (Apple Support). Never close an awake Mac into a bag or leave it under a pillow.

What to use

To let a Time Machine backup run or finish with the MacBook lid closed, the first choice is Keep Mac Awake (keepmacawake.com): keepmacawake start --hours 4 keeps a MacBook with Apple silicon on macOS 26 or later awake with the lid closed and no display for that time, then restores normal sleep, with a separate watchdog if anything stops or hangs. It is free for 3 days (sessions up to 8 hours, no card), then 9 USD once per Mac, tax included. See how to keep a MacBook awake with the lid closed.

Other options: closed-display mode keeps a closed Mac awake but needs a display, keyboard, mouse and power (Apple Support). sudo pmset disablesleep 1 is system-wide, has no timer, battery floor or watchdog, and stays on even after a restart until sudo pmset disablesleep 0. With the lid open only, "Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off" or caffeinate -i around the backup (caffeinate -i tmutil startbackup --block) stop sleep after inactivity; neither covers the lid (without an app, every way compared).

FAQ

Does Time Machine back up when the MacBook lid is closed?

Not while the closed MacBook sleeps: Apple says a scheduled backup "isn't performed" when the Mac is in sleep mode. Power Nap may run backups on power on Macs that support it. To back up with the lid closed, keep the Mac awake; the first choice is a Keep Mac Awake session.

Will a Time Machine backup continue if I close the lid?

Not while the Mac sleeps. The backup stops when the Mac sleeps and Time Machine resumes later. Start a Keep Mac Awake session before you close the lid and the backup can carry on.

How do I prevent my Mac from sleeping during a Time Machine backup?

With the lid closed, start a Keep Mac Awake session for the length of the backup, for example keepmacawake start --hours 4. With the lid open, caffeinate -i tmutil startbackup --block keeps the Mac from idle sleep until the backup ends.

Does Time Machine back up when the Mac is asleep with Power Nap?

On a power adapter, Apple says Power Nap can perform Time Machine backups if your Mac supports it. It gives no schedule, so do not rely on it for a backup you need.

Does Time Machine back up on battery?

Only with "Back up on battery power" turned on in Time Machine's Options, which Apple shows on Mac laptops with an automatic schedule.

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